Melbourne - Phillip Island - Great Ocean Road - Yarra Valley - Hobart - Freycinet - Launceston and Cradle Mountain - Adelaide - Kangaroo Island
Australia is famous for its unique and wonderful wildlife, and spotting a kangaroo in the wild is often the holiday highlight for visitors travelling in Australia for the first time. This itinerary will give you a great chance to see some of the country’s cutest creatures.
At a glance:
The Journey:
Penguin Parade, Phillip Island, Victoria
Start your Australian wildlife adventure in Melbourne, a diverse multicultural city famous for hosting fantastic sport events such as the Australian Open of Tennis and the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. Melbourne is also a gateway to some of Australia’s most amazing wildlife and scenic locations including:
If you are into nature, you will want to get out and about straight away. However, it is worth spending a couple of days in Melbourne relaxing after the flight with spa treatments, meandering the laneways and enjoying long lunches overlooking the Yarra River.
Highlights:
Wineglass Bay, Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania
Fly from Melbourne to Launceston, Tasmania. Tasmania is an island paradise, just an hour from the mainland and offers visitors so much. As well as abundant wildlife, you will experience a friendly welcome, great food and wine, and some of the world’s most beautiful scenery. The island can be divided roughly in to these main areas:
Hiring a car and self-driving is a great way to explore the island. Allow four days to really explore each side of the island – the east coast features stunning coastlines while the west coast has pristine wilderness. Work your way down either side of the island, ending up in the historic and artistic capital of Hobart.
Remember to take care when driving a dusk and night as the animals come out to play. The island is teeming with wildlife. Even on a short walk you may come across a wombat or wallaby.
Highlights:
Stokes Bay, Kangaroo Island, South Australia
Fly to Adelaide, the friendly capital city of South Australia. Adelaide is known as the ‘20 minute city ‘– you can hold a koala, swim with dolphins and taste delicious wines – all within 20 minutes of the city centre.
There are many reasons for staying on in Adelaide for several days, but nature lovers will be looking forward to a visit to Kangaroo Island, known as ‘Australia’s Galapagos’ due to the abundance of native wildlife. Kangaroos, echidnas, platypus, koalas and a huge number of native birdlife can be found here living in the wild.
Getting here is easy – a scenic 30 minute flight from Adelaide to Kingscote or a two hour drive to Cape Jervis then a 45 minute ferry to Penneshaw.
There are several accommodation options on the island ranging from backpacker hostels and three/four star hotels to wilderness retreats and ultraluxurious lodges.
*Due to bushfire activity in January 2020 on Kangaroo Island these attractions are now closed until further notice. Click here to view the latest SATC Bushfire Updates.